Curriculum Vitae
Sampling of Current Presentations
Speaking Schedule
Career Highlights
Little Known Facts About Dr. Soffer
Consultation and Program Evaluation Services
Reactions of Others to Dr. Soffer's Professional Development Activities
WHAT IS DR. RANDY SOFFER UP TO?
By, Randy Soffer, Ph.D.
It has been said that the purpose of life is to live a life of purpose. My life of purpose is as follows:
Preparing the next generation of teachers. As a lifelong educator, I feel it is my turn to give back to my chosen profession. I have been fortunate to have had some excellent learning experiences over the years and want to share my expertise with those now entering the education profession. Besides my love of teaching, I am also the Director of Field Experiences for my university, the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. In my role as Director of Field Experiences, I have several projects underway to develop a better system to match developing teachers with exemplars of instruction. This will help to ensure that these developing teachers have the best possible role models to emulate. A second development project that I am currently involved with is on expanding the use of video technology in field experiences and in my university face-to-face and on-line courses. This entails providing real-life examples of teaching and providing students the opportunity to study and analyze these samples of classroom practices.
Making ALL education special. As a life-long special educator, I have seen the benefits of personalizing instruction. As a result, I am doing all that can to help foster an accommodating and flexible educational system that builds on the strengths, needs, and interests of its students. Toward this end, I am involved in a number of projects. These projects include working with school districts, both on the systemic and individual student level , to improve and expand inclusive education practices. I am also working with other teacher educators to improve teachers’ preparation for inclusive education classrooms.
Fostering greater collaboration among special education student program planning team members. As a special educator, I have always appreciated the benefits of collaboration. I have also, unfortunately, witnessed, over the years, a lack of collaboration with regard to the special education student planning process. In particular, a life-long goal of mine is to increase the meaningful involvement of parents in the special education decision-making process for their children. What started with my dissertation topic 30 years ago, has continued to be an area of my passion up to the current time.
I appreciate the opportunity to share my life’s professional direction and purpose with you. If the focus of my work matches your needs, I look forward to the possibility of working with you towards our mutual goals!
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Randy Soffer, Ph.D. |
" We can't help how our students come to us, but we can respond differently to meet their needs to make them successful and confident learners."
- Dr. Randy Soffer |